View Full Version : whats the deal with Astrea snails falling over?
6speedchevelle
10-21-2007, 10:02 PM
so I bought a bunch of astea snails for my clean up crew. the LFS said if they happen to fall and end up upside down, I would need to turn them over.
well they fall over LOTS! pain in the a$*!....
what do you pro's do about this?
clown-lover
10-21-2007, 10:05 PM
Turn them over so they don't get eaten.
emonemo420
10-21-2007, 10:07 PM
i pick em up? lol there really isnt nething u can do about em..sometimes i wonder if they are mentally retarded...i catch my turbos fallen over all the time...they love to stick to the intake of a powerhead...so for giggles i unplug it and watch em fall lol:duh::rofl:...mean but they shouldnt be there..but there really isnt nething u can do
6speedchevelle
10-21-2007, 10:10 PM
so would it just be best to get cereth snails for clean up??
the astrea snails fall into some very hard to reach places....
emonemo420
10-21-2007, 10:13 PM
ummm cerith normally dig into the sand and keep ur sand clean...me personally i like to get a variety i have some astreas which while are small do a fantastic job overall but dont touch the sand...cerith will get pretty much sand only but hit the glass sometimes and turbos do everything and much faster rate ...so get a mix if u can and pick up what u can...snails die, fish eat em, so do the best u can and plan on replacingdown the road...u can only do so much
clown-lover
10-21-2007, 10:28 PM
If they fall where I can't reach I let the crabs take care of business and just replace them down the road..
soccerkidbs
10-21-2007, 10:34 PM
agree i had about 40 snails to start with and i think im down to 28.
vorlx
10-21-2007, 10:38 PM
If they fall where I can't reach I let the crabs take care of business and just replace them down the road..
My snails are dwindingly because of this... I can only take so much lol
Charlesr1958
10-22-2007, 8:37 AM
I can tell you from personal observations that the typical cone shaped Astrea snails have no business being in our rocky tank enviroments. I only ever see these types of snails in the sea grass beds where they live upon the very large and tall bladed Enhalus acoroides sea grass, if they happen to fall off of their perch, no big deal since there is plenty of grass litter on the sandbed to grab onto and regain themselves.
http://home2.pacific.net.ph/%7Esweetyummy42/astrea.jpg
But in a rocky environment, their shell shape almost guarantees that they will become stuck and unable to right themselves. Also, such rocky areas are home to mantis shrimp and other predators that make these snails very easy prey.
http://home2.pacific.net.ph/%7Esweetyummy42/seagrass1.jpg
For a larger photo of their habitat, please see This Link (http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/2.html).
I feel that the Astralium species (star snails) are much better suited for our usualy rocky aquariums as that is the only environment that I find them within. Their shape allows them to move much easier through the rocks and if they fall, they are much less likely to become pinned in crevices and such.
http://home2.pacific.net.ph/%7Esweetyummy42/starsnail.jpg
Chuck
clown-lover
10-22-2007, 6:01 PM
While all of that might be true Charles you also have to live with the reality of what is available for purchase vs what is not. Almost every LPS I know of carries Astreas and I have yet to see a star snail in a LPS.
Good information none the less.
Charlesr1958
10-22-2007, 9:02 PM
Okay, but if we as hobbyists start demanding the proper species and raise enough cain with the shop owners, might they start carrying them? Sorry, but I'm just imagining how many astrea snails die every day in our collective tanks and the loss of grazers on the sea grass (these snails do not eat the sea grass, only keep the blades clean of micro algae'). They are only so prevelant in the hobby because as usual, any species that is near shore and easy to grab up is thrown at us as being "Reef". Might its time we let the suppliers know that we know?
Chuck
I just avoid them altogether and stock other snails. I've not seen the star snail either.
6speedchevelle
10-22-2007, 9:19 PM
so what snails do you use Grins?
nassarius, cerith, turbos, a florida fighting conch...and a boatload of stomatellas that breed like mad
clown-lover
10-22-2007, 11:14 PM
Okay, but if we as hobbyists start demanding the proper species and raise enough cain with the shop owners, might they start carrying them? Sorry, but I'm just imagining how many astrea snails die every day in our collective tanks and the loss of grazers on the sea grass (these snails do not eat the sea grass, only keep the blades clean of micro algae'). They are only so prevelant in the hobby because as usual, any species that is near shore and easy to grab up is thrown at us as being "Reef". Might its time we let the suppliers know that we know?
Chuck
I can agree with that.. But when I have requested other things I get stock answers like "we can only supply what our vendors have in stock", or "those aren't available in the trade" etc etc etc. The only ways stuff like this will get into the mainstream of the hobby is if we can do it as a combined voice.. A single voice here and there will be ignored.
Charlesr1958
10-23-2007, 8:02 AM
True. But am glad to see that there is a fairly good interest now in breeding our own inverts. Of which Project DIBS is leading the way in not only providing great information but also has a few species available. All tank bred / raised. I have to encourage everyone to at least take a peek. If you have an invert, be it snail or otherwise that breeds like crazy in your system, please think about becoming a breeder / supplier no matter what the scale of your "operation" is.
Chuck
lol, think they want a few of my reproducing "hoochie" stomatellas?
SigPiPup
10-23-2007, 10:10 AM
I've got two of those star snails and I've only had to flip one of them over once. I can't even count the number of times I've had to flip over an astrea. I'm definitely thinking of getting one of those aquarium tongs so I don't have to constantly stick my whole arm into the tank for these guys.
Sonicblast12
10-23-2007, 6:45 PM
They are impossible. I usually just give up eventually, because you can't just flip over a half dozen snails every time you walk by the tank.
But for some reason, they are still slipped into cleaner packages.
Eh, a lot of things are slipped into those packages that have no business being in most new tanks
6speedchevelle
10-23-2007, 9:00 PM
Ive lost more than 3/4 of the Atrea's I bought last week.....thought one came back to life, but it was Hermit with a new "ride"......... HA!
I will definitly not be buying any more of these guys.
electromen
10-23-2007, 9:27 PM
I hate to be the odd man out here, but I've never had to flip any of my astrae's.. lol
jayghmi
10-25-2007, 1:44 PM
I too have never had my astreas snails flip over. I did just buy a piece of live rock simply because it had some stomatella snails on it. They are very cool and their reproduction smoke signal dance is really wild.
I have lost allot of snails die in the past very quickly - now I drip acclimate them for hours with much better success. I think the ones I buy are very sensitive to change in water parameters.
tanker
10-25-2007, 4:21 PM
I rather have Trochus snails. They can at least "right" themselves.
clown-lover
10-25-2007, 9:29 PM
I hate to be the odd man out here, but I've never had to flip any of my astrae's.. lol
I've only had two flip over and one where I couldn't reach.. The only one I've lost is the one I couldn't reach (or didn't want to reach as he was at the back of the tank behind all of the rockwork)..